In response to the state granting the City of Richmond a two-week delay in entering Phase One of the statewide reopening plan, the Stoney administration will be ramping up the city’s efforts to support a safe approach to reopening in the near-term.
 
Today, the administration announced plans to use the next two weeks to expand testing access, distribute more face masks and hand sanitizer throughout the city, support underserved communities, expand safe spaces for social distancing and address the needs of Richmond’s small business community.
 
Expanding testing capacity and collaboration with safety net
 
Four weeks ago, the City of Richmond and Richmond City Health District began hosting COVID-19 testing events in the city’s areas of highest needs. RCHD has since conducted six testing events in the city, in and adjacent to public housing communities and along the Hull Street corridor in Southside.
 
The city now plans to significantly expand public testing capacity with a continued emphasis on making testing accessible to priority communities with higher vulnerability to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
With support from the Virginia Department of Health to ensure adequate capacity at the state lab, RCHD will organize community testing events in high-need areas three times a week for Richmond residents that meet screening criteria. RCHD will use epidemiological surveillance data to inform priorities for those parts of the city that may benefit most from increased access to public testing. This will include revisiting sites where testing has previously been offered.
 
In addition to the testing event at Diversity Richmond on May 19, the following events have been scheduled in the coming week:
May 21, Tuckahoe Middle School from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; and
May 22, East Lawn Shopping Center from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
 
City residents should contact RCHD’s COVID-19 Call Center to find out if they qualify and to register for these testing events: 804-205-3501.
 
To evaluate the outcomes of these expanded testing efforts, in addition to results from our hospital systems and network of other providers, the city will monitor the newly added data from the Virginia Department of Health about the locality’s percent positivity, or what percentage of tests administered result in positives. The city, VDH, and RCHD will use this data to inform plans for the gradual reopening timeline.
 
Ensuring a connection to a primary care provider for all residents who test positive for COVID-19 is critical to helping Richmonders monitor their symptoms and manage any underlying conditions. The city will be collaborating with members of the local safety net to facilitate access to primary care, and RCHD will invest in professional navigation services to match residents with providers and other needed supportive services. The city’s commitment is to make professional medical care available to all residents with a confirmed case of COVID-19, regardless of those residents’ insurance status.
 
Safety net providers will also be able to expand their testing operations, working with the city to add capacity. As increasing numbers of city residents are able to access testing, the Mayor’s Office, RCHD and VDH will be able to more effectively monitor the progression and trends of the disease in the city.
 
Providing face coverings and sanitizing supplies
 
A priority intervention to protect the health of all of our neighbors is for everyone to wear a cloth or disposable face covering whenever in public places or going out of the house. The science is clear that this can dramatically improve outcomes, driving down rates of disease transmission. The City of Richmond is invested in ensuring that residents can and will lead the way in making face covering a new, positive practice the entire community can embrace.
 
On May 12, the city began distributing 40,000 units of face coverings and sanitizing supplies provided by the state for Richmond communities that may benefit from immediate access to these resources. The city will continue that distribution, coordinated through the Richmond Fire Department.
 
The city will also provide 500 units of face coverings and sanitizing supplies to each member of Richmond City Council for distribution within their district based on their specialized knowledge of need.
 
Supporting small businesses
 
The Stoney administration recognizes the challenges small businesses face at this time. Existing programs remain open for application. Businesses can apply for the Richmond Small Business Disaster Loan here. The $20,000 zero-interest loan has a six-month payment deferment period and is then repaid over 48 months.
 
Restaurants can apply for the First Responder Meals Program here. Participating restaurants are paid by the city for providing meals for public safety first responders while on duty.
 
Mayor Stoney has sent another letter asking for federal assistance to U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. He strongly requests that the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program be modified and that Virginia’s Senators support Senator Booker’s Small Business Local Relief Act, which would send $50 billion in direct assistance to localities and states to establish and grow local relief funds. He will be in ongoing contact with both senators.
 
In addition to federal advocacy, the city is working regionally to ensure small businesses are prepared to keep customers and employees as safe as possible throughout the reopening timeline.
 
Utilizing public space productively and safely
 
The city is preparing to assist businesses in navigating potential patio expansions by standing up an internal task force comprised of representatives from the Department of Public Works, Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and Department of Planning and Development Review. Once the data indicates a negative trend in percent positivity and the city enters Phase One of reopening, this effort will both support the Richmond business community to more safely offer Phase One outdoor dining and create a network that allows for ample and ongoing social distancing in public spaces.
 
To submit a proposal for new or additional patio space or inquire for more information, please visit www.rvastrong.org/outdoorseating and fill out the interest form.
 
The Stoney administration has sent a request to members of Richmond City Council and their staff asking for their help in coordinating with local merchant and neighborhood associations to propose equitable opportunities for open streets, pedestrian-friendly spaces, and expanded patios with room to maintain social distancing. By working with local associations, council members will be able to bring forward optimal opportunities for the creative use of streets, sidewalks and public spaces that are logistically feasible and have community buy-in.
 
The recommendations will then be reviewed by an internal city team with staff from the Department of Public Works, Richmond Police Department, Department of Planning and Development Review and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.
 
For updates on the city’s response to COVID-19, visit richmondgov.com/covid19.
 
For ways to help and to get help, visit the city’s resource hub at RVAStrong.org.
 
For a complete list of available city services, view the list here. If you have follow-up questions, contact RVA311. 

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In accordance with the delay that the state recently granted Richmond, city facilities and operations will not move into Phase 1 of reopening at this time. City offices and facilities will remain closed through May 31.
 
Essential city services will continue, as they have throughout the closure. To view a list of those services, visit the city’s dedicated webpage at richmondgov.com/covid19 or click here. (The list is available in Spanish here.)
 
Interested parties should continue to check the essential city services list, as it is frequently updated with expanded services. Of course, until May 28 at the earliest, any service expansions will still follow the Governor’s guidelines to which the rest of the city is adhering. 
 
City parks are still open to public use, though high-touch or high-density areas such as the Manchester Climbing Wall, playgrounds, sport courts, skate parks, athletic fields and dog parks are closed. Administrative offices, picnic shelters, park houses and community centers are also closed to the public. Chimborazo and Byrd Parks are closed to vehicular traffic to allow more room for pedestrian usage.
                                                                                                 
The Department of Public Utilities will continue to honor the moratorium on suspension of services for non-payment, though the city encourages payment by customers who are able to do so. Utilities such as water, gas and stormwater are all essential to public health, as are their maintenance.
 
Essential services provided by the Department of Public Works (DPW), including trash and bulk/brush collections, street cleaning and grounds/mowing maintenance, paving and pothole repairs, will remain uninterrupted. DPW also will continue to issue parking citations only for violations in safety zones- handicap ramps, fire hydrants, no parking areas for sight lines and paving. Residents are encouraged to take note of signs indicating temporary illegal parking to facilitate paving and pothole repair services. Residents also are reminded the Richmond Police Department and the VCU Police may ticket for violations other than those currently recognized by DPW.
 
All public safety departments, the Fire Department, the Police Department and the Department of Emergency Communications, are essential and will be available in emergencies through 911.
 
If residents have a question regarding city services that is not an emergency, the customer service call center reachable at 311 is operational on its normal schedule. The RVA311 portal is also accessible online.
 
For updates on the city’s response to COVID-19, visit richmondgov.com/covid19.
 
For ways to help and to get help, visit the city’s resource hub at RVAStrong.org.
 
For a complete list of available city services, view the list here. If you have follow-up questions, contact RVA311.

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Mayor Stoney today announced that the city requested and has been granted a local delay of the state’s reopening plan. The city will move into Phase One no earlier than May 28.
 
“I want to thank Governor Northam for working with us,” said Mayor Stoney. “This step will make Richmond safer as we face this challenge together.”
 
The city has experienced an increase in both positive cases and percent positivity in the past two weeks. Percent positivity speaks to the intersection of the spread of the virus and the recently enhanced testing capacity; the metric represents the percentage of people tested who have been positively diagnosed.

The state provided the Stoney Administration with the information on local percent positivity on Thursday morning, which then allowed the city to formally request a delay.
 
The mayor cited that data provided by the state as the key factor in applying for the delay.
 
“Right now, the data is showing an increase in percent positivity over the past two weeks. Therefore, I cannot justify risking the health and safety of the residents of the City of Richmond by moving forward with Phase One.”
 
The governor plans to move the majority of the state into Phase 1 of the reopening plan on Friday, May 15. A coalition of Northern Virginia localities have applied for and been granted a delay.
 
In his letter to Governor Northam and during Thursday’s announcement, Mayor Stoney emphasized the outsized effect the pandemic is having on Richmond’s most vulnerable, including communities of color and essential workers.
 
“For me, it’s not just the total number of cases in the region or the city that I believe we must be vigilant in monitoring – it’s the impact this disease is having on our most vulnerable,” said Mayor Stoney. “It’s the essential personnel, the grocery workers, the uber drivers, the restaurant workers and my own employees here at city hall.”
 
In the press conference, Mayor Stoney cited the disparate impact the disease has on Black Richmonders as a reason he requested the delay, stating, “In Richmond, 16 out of the 18 resident deaths have been Black people. This is a factor we can’t ignore.”
 
On Wednesday, May 13, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus published a letter in opposition to reopening on Friday due to the disproportionate toll it may take on the Black community. On Thursday, May 14, the Richmond branch of the NAACP issued a press release supporting Mayor Stoney’s decision to request a delay.
 
The mayor indicated he will continue to prioritize areas that are at the highest-risk of community spread and fatality, making a request that the state continue to support the city in its targeted, intentional testing events.
 
He also made an appeal to the business community, thanking them for saving lives with their patience and compliance.
 
“Please be patient with me and my administration as we work to ensure community safety. I’m so thankful to you for making tough, responsible decisions in the face of a global crisis.”
 
The city will provide specific guidance in the coming days to businesses affected by this delay in reopening, making sure all parties are informed of expectations.

For timely updates on the city’s response to COVID-19 and a list of available city services, visit richmondgov.com/covid19.
 
For those who need help and those who want to help, visit Richmond’s resource hub, rvastrong.org.

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This week the Stoney administration announced the city and state have collaborated to roughly 40 thousand units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to underserved neighborhoods in Richmond.
 
At the outset of the pandemic, the Office of Mayor Levar Stoney reached out to the state concerned about the evident racial disparities in the infection and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
 
In response, the state has obtained 20 thousand face masks, 20 thousand bottles of hand sanitizers, and 10 thousand printed public health resources for the city to distribute in its communities most vulnerable to the disease.
 
The program aims to increase equitable access to PPE to communities that may be most adversely impacted by COVID-19 in an effort to safeguard them against the virus. Data shows that people of color are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and that immigrant and undocumented populations are also suffering disparately. 
 
“COVID-19 isn’t singular in its disproportionate effect on communities of color with high poverty rates,” said Mayor Stoney. “The healthcare disparities highlighted by this pandemic are a manifestation of historic injustices, which we can help address with targeted, equity-driven efforts like this program.”
 
“Virginia is ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources and comprehensive support to our most vulnerable communities,” said Governor Northam. “We will continue to encourage and enhance these efforts as we move through the various phases of re-opening Virginia.”
 
Distributed by the Richmond Fire Department in collaboration with community members, the hand sanitizer and masks will help reduce the spread of the virus in communities that would have otherwise lacked access to the in-demand items. 
 
“The Richmond Fire Department believes in providing the best possible health outcomes for communities in need,” said Chief Melvin Carter of the Richmond Fire Department. “Our goal is to improve community health during and after this pandemic, which starts with engaging the communities that need it most. In the upcoming months, distribution of supplies will continue across the city for targeted areas of need.”
 
The distribution plan is based on exhibited need. The state has provided the city with health equity data by Census tract to facilitate the city’s distribution effort.
 
Additionally, the state has provided health equity training to Richmond Fire employees.
 
Program administrators are also identifying need through engaging with neighborhood and community leaders and amplifying the efforts of groups already distributing personal protective equipment on a smaller scale.
 
“We will continue to work in collaboration with individuals and groups within the community to ensure we reach, to the greatest extent possible, the populations in Richmond who don’t have everyday access to these potentially life-saving resources,” said Osita Iroegbu, Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor Stoney. “We hope to strengthen this pilot in ways that will deepen engagement with the community and build greater opportunities for access and equity for our community members who too often go overlooked and underserved.”
 
By inviting trusted community voices into the conversation, the city aims to ensure an inclusive, collaborative community engagement approach to this health equity effort.
 
Questions about the program and distribution plan should be directed to Osita Iroegbu at osita.iroegbu@richmondgov.com.

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This week the Stoney administration announced the city and state have collaborated to roughly 40 thousand units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to underserved neighborhoods in Richmond.
 
At the outset of the pandemic, the Office of Mayor Levar Stoney reached out to the state concerned about the evident racial disparities in the infection and mortality rates associated with COVID-19.
 
In response, the state has obtained 20 thousand face masks, 20 thousand bottles of hand sanitizers, and 10 thousand printed public health resources for the city to distribute in its communities most vulnerable to the disease.
 
The program aims to increase equitable access to PPE to communities that may be most adversely impacted by COVID-19 in an effort to safeguard them against the virus. Data shows that people of color are dying from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and that immigrant and undocumented populations are also suffering disparately. 
 
“COVID-19 isn’t singular in its disproportionate effect on communities of color with high poverty rates,” said Mayor Stoney. “The healthcare disparities highlighted by this pandemic are a manifestation of historic injustices, which we can help address with targeted, equity-driven efforts like this program.”
 
“Virginia is ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources and comprehensive support to our most vulnerable communities,” said Governor Northam. “We will continue to encourage and enhance these efforts as we move through the various phases of re-opening Virginia.”
 
Distributed by the Richmond Fire Department in collaboration with community members, the hand sanitizer and masks will help reduce the spread of the virus in communities that would have otherwise lacked access to the in-demand items. 
 
“The Richmond Fire Department believes in providing the best possible health outcomes for communities in need,” said Chief Melvin Carter of the Richmond Fire Department. “Our goal is to improve community health during and after this pandemic, which starts with engaging the communities that need it most. In the upcoming months, distribution of supplies will continue across the city for targeted areas of need.”
 
The distribution plan is based on exhibited need. The state has provided the city with health equity data by Census tract to facilitate the city’s distribution effort.
 
Additionally, the state has provided health equity training to Richmond Fire employees.
 
Program administrators are also identifying need through engaging with neighborhood and community leaders and amplifying the efforts of groups already distributing personal protective equipment on a smaller scale.
 
“We will continue to work in collaboration with individuals and groups within the community to ensure we reach, to the greatest extent possible, the populations in Richmond who don’t have everyday access to these potentially life-saving resources,” said Osita Iroegbu, Senior Policy Advisor to Mayor Stoney. “We hope to strengthen this pilot in ways that will deepen engagement with the community and build greater opportunities for access and equity for our community members who too often go overlooked and underserved.”
 
By inviting trusted community voices into the conversation, the city aims to ensure an inclusive, collaborative community engagement approach to this health equity effort.
 
Questions about the program and distribution plan should be directed to Osita Iroegbu at osita.iroegbu@richmondgov.com.

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